Super-resolution optical components and left-handed materials thereof

ABSTRACT

Super-resolution optical components and left-handed materials thereof are provided. A left-handed material includes a substrate, a plurality of deformed split ring resonators (DSRR), and a plurality of metallic bars, wherein the DSRR and the metallic bars are disposed on the substrate with each DSRR and metal bar alternately arranged.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to left-handed materials, and in particular toleft-handed materials with deformed split ring resonators (DSRR)conducted to provide negative permeability.

2. Brief Discussion of the Related Art

With reference to the discussion of negative permeability material orleft-handed metallic structure, in 1968, Veselago disclosed a theorythat when transmitted through a substance with negative dielectriccoefficient and negative permeability, an electromagnetic wave willdisplay a distinctive and unusual quality. Moreover, in 1996, Pendrydisclosed a system combining the split-ring resonator array with ametallic line array to enable an electromagnetic wave of a certainmicrowave band to simultaneously possess a negative dielectriccoefficient and negative permeability. In 2000, Pendry also applied thistheory to the analysis of optical lens resolution. Thus, if a metallicstructure with left-handed materials can be developed, the metallicstructure will be capable of altering the non-penetrability of ordinarysubstances and modulating the wave-transmitting direction. Additionally,if formed on a large-scale silica substrate or other transparentsubstrate, the left-handed material can be introduced to produce aplanar super-resolution optical lens. Accordingly, the requirements ofdelicate mechanical tolerance can be reduced, thus increasing assemblyefficiency and production yield.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Super-resolution optical components and left-handed materials thereofare provided. A left-handed material includes a substrate, a pluralityof deformed split ring resonators (DSRR), and a plurality of metallicbars, wherein the DSRR and the metallic bars are disposed on thesubstrate with each DSRR and metal bar alternately arranged.

Further scope of the applicability of the present invention will becomeapparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, itshould be understood that the detailed description and specificexamples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, aregiven by way of illustration only, since various changes andmodifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed incolor. Copies of this patent or patent application publication withcolor drawing(s) will be provided by the office upon request and paymentof the necessary fee.

The present application will become more fully understood from thesubsequent detailed description and the accompanying drawings, which aregiven by way of illustration only and thus are not limitative of thepresent application, and wherein;

FIG. 1 is a diagram of microwave simulation of left-handed materials ofthe invention;

FIG. 2 shows a microwave experiment frame conducted to verify thesimulation result of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows the result of the experiment utilizing the microwaveexperiment frame of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 a shows the aberration analysis result of left-handed materialswithin the visible light

FIG. 4 b shows the aberration analysis result of left-handed materialswithin the visible light;

FIG. 4 c is s light spot diagram of left-handed materials within thevisible light;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of the deformed split ring resonators havingnegative permeability;

FIG. 6 is a diagram of the deformed split ring resonators combined withthe split metallic bars on the same substrate;

FIG. 7 is a diagram of the deformed split ring resonators combined withthe split metallic bars disposed on the different substrate;

FIG. 8 is a diagram of the deformed split ring resonators combined withthe long metallic bars on the same substrate;

FIG. 9 is a diagram of the deformed split ring resonators combined withthe long metallic bars disposed on the different substrate;

FIG. 10 is a diagram of the planar optical focusing lens utilizing theleft-handed material of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a diagram of the waveguide component utilizing theleft-handed material of the invention; and

FIG. 12 is a diagram of the left-handed material with external circuitsor external optical controllers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram of microwave simulation ofleft-handed materials of the invention. When the refraction index isnegative and the simulation microwave waveband is 10.8 GHz, the inputwaveband first passes through two slits and forms an intensitydistribution. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, after passing through thenegative permeability material, the intensity distribution can return tothe original condition without dispersion.

FIG. 2 shows a design of a verified experiment frame using microwavewaveband 10.8 GHZ as the input source. Further, when the input wavebandpasses through two slits disposed at a specified distance and theleft-handed material, as shown in FIG. 3, two peaks can be analyzed viathe left-handed material of the invention. Thus, it is verified that theresolution of microwave waveband is smaller than the wavelength of themicrowave.

In fact, the inventive negative permeability structure may be applied toproduce super-resolution optical focusing lenses such that the lightwave may be focused to the extent that the resolution of light wave issmaller than the wavelength of the light wave.

Please refer to FIG. 4 a. FIG. 4 a shows the aberration analysis resultof the corresponding focal plane. As shown in FIG. 4 a, even though theequivalent field of view is 20 degrees (the total field of view is 40degrees), all kinds of aberrations are zero. Referring next to FIGS. 4 b& 4 c, FIG. 4 c shows the spot-sized diagram of left-handed materialswithin the visible light. As shown in FIG. 4 c, the spot size is muchsmaller than the Airy disc corresponding to the diffraction limit.

Further, please refer next to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a diagram of deformedsplit ring resonators having negative permeability of the invention,wherein the negative permeability metallic structure A₁ comprises aplurality of deformed split ring resonators 51. Moreover, each deformedsplit ring resonator 51 comprises two L-shaped metallic structures andis arranged in such a manner

.

Additionally, the deformed split ring resonators 51 may be periodic ornon-periodic and the suitable input wavelength is not limited to thevisible light because the input wavelength is related to the period andthe line width of the metallic pattern of the deformed split ringresonator 51. When the deformed split ring resonators 51 are periodic,as shown in FIG. 5, the length of period a and period b may be smallerthan the input wavelength. When the deformed split ring resonators 51are non-periodic, either the physical size of a structure unit or theline width of the metallic pattern may be smaller than the inputwavelength. For example, with respect to the 1550 nm input wavelength,the physical size of a structural unit may be about 800 nm and the linewidth of the metallic pattern may be about 200 nm. Further, thethickness of the metallic structure is usually 200-500 nm, but notlimited thereto. Additionally, the deformed split ring resonators 51 maybe made of any metal element in the periodic table, transparent electricconduction materials, or other electric conduction materials substitutedfor metal.

Please refer to FIGS. 6-9, the deformed split ring resonators 51 may becombined with the split metallic bars 52 (as shown in FIG. 6) or thelong metallic bars 53 (as shown in FIG. 8) to form a left-handedmaterial, wherein the above-mentioned metallic structures are formed ona silica substrate or other transparent substrates. As shown in FIG. 6,the deformed split ring resonators 51 are combined with the splitmetallic bars 52 on the same substrate to form a left-handed materialA₂, wherein the left-handed material A₂ may be formed on a silicasubstrate or other transparent substrate. Symbol c and symbol drespectively represent different periods of the split metallic bars 52.FIG. 7 is a diagram of the deformed split ring resonators 51 combinedwith the split metallic bars 52 disposed on a different substrate toform a left-handed material A₃, wherein δ₁ represents a distance betweenthe deformed split ring resonator layer 54 and the split metallic barlayer 55 and the distance is usually smaller than input wavelength.Additionally, FIG. 8 is the deformed split ring resonators 51 combinedwith the long metallic bars 53 on the same substrate to form aleft-handed material A₄, wherein the left-handed material A₄ may beformed on a silica substrate or other transparent substrate. Symbol erepresents the period of the long metallic bars 53. FIG. 9 is a diagramof the deformed split ring resonators 51 combined with the long metallicbars 53 disposed on a different substrate to form a left-handed materialA₅ wherein δ₂ represents a distance between the deformed split ringresonator layer 54 and the long metallic bar layer 56 and the distanceis usually smaller than the input wavelength.

The left-handed material of the invention may be implemented in otheraspects. In a preferable embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, by arranging acube of parallelly disposed left-handed materials A₄ on the large silicasubstrate or other transparent substrates, a super-resolution opticalcomponent or a super-resolution optical focusing lens is formed. It isemphasized, however, that the left-handed material of the invention mayalso be applied to any other shape.

Moreover, the left-handed material of the invention may be introduced toa waveguide component 100. As shown in FIG. 11, a waveguide componentcomprises a light source 101, a light-coupling device 102, a left-handedmaterial A₄, and a dispersion waveguide component 103, wherein the lightsource 101 may be a multi-wavelength laser conducted to emit light andthe light-coupling device 102 may be a fiber conducted to transmit thelight from the light source 101. Additionally, the left-handed materialA₄ is conducted to disperse the light processed by the light-couplingdevice 102 and then the dispersion waveguide component 103 is conductedto receive the light dispersed by the left-handed material A₄. Under thetrend of photon crystal integration, the left-handed material may alsobe used as a mode converter between a fiber and a photon crystal device.

Another application of the left-handed material is coordination withexternal circuits or external optical controllers. Further, this devicemay form a waveguide component 110 capable of adjusting the index ofrefraction and the focusing efficiency. As shown in FIG. 12, aprogrammable waveguide component 110 comprises a light source 112, afirst modulation signal 111, a second modulation signal 113, anamplifier 114, a resistance variable device 115, and a left-handedmaterial A₄, wherein the light source 112 may be light emitting diode(LED) or laser and the first modulation signal 111 is conducted tocontrol the light source 112. Moreover, the amplifier 114 is conductedto amplify the second modulation signal 113 and the resistance variabledevice 115 is electrically connected with the amplifier 114 to receivethe control signal and further control the material features of theleft-handed material A₄. The left-handed material A₄ is electricallyconnected with the resistance variable device 115 to modulate the lightemitted from the light source 112.

As previously described, the invention provides deformed split ringresonators having negative permeability. By combining the deformed splitring resonators with the metallic bars, a left-handed material can beformed. The left-handed material can be utilized to produce asuper-resolution optical focusing lens or a programmablesuper-resolution waveguide component.

While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms ofpreferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover variousmodifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to thoseskilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims shouldbe accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all suchmodifications and similar arrangements.

1. A left-handed material, comprising: a substrate; a plurality ofdeformed split ring resonators disposed on the substrate; and aplurality of metallic bars directly disposed on the substrate, whereineach of the plurality of deformed split ring resonators and each of theplurality of metallic bars is alternately arranged.
 2. The left-handedmaterial as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality ofdeformed split ring resonators comprises two L-shaped metallicstructures.
 3. The left-handed material as claimed in claim 2, whereineach of the plurality of deformed split ring resonators is substantiallyin the shape of a L, with a smaller, inverted and backwards L diagonallyacross therefrom.
 4. The left-handed material as claimed in claim 1,wherein the plurality of metallic bars are split metallic bars or longmetallic bars.
 5. The left-handed material as claimed in claim 1,wherein the plurality of deformed split ring resonators have metal ortransparent electric conduction materials.
 6. A super-resolution opticalcomponent, comprising: a plurality of left-handed materials, eachhaving: a substrate; a plurality of deformed split ring resonatorsdisposed on the substrate; and a plurality of metallic bars directlydisposed on the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of deformedsplit ring resonators and each of the plurality of metallic bars isalternately arranged.
 7. The super-resolution optical component asclaimed in claim 6, wherein the plurality of metallic bars are splitmetallic bars or long metallic bars.
 8. The super-resolution opticalcomponent as claimed in claim 6, wherein the substrate is a silicasubstrate or other transparent substrate.
 9. A left-handed material,comprising: a first substrate; a second substrate disposed parallel toand at a distance from the first substrate; a plurality of deformedsplit ring resonators disposed on one of the first or second substrate;and a plurality of metallic bars directly disposed on the secondsubstrate, wherein each of the plurality of deformed split ringresonators and each of the plurality of metallic bars are correspondingand alternately arranged.
 10. The left-handed material as claimed inclaim 9, wherein each of the plurality of deformed split ring resonatorshas two L-shaped metallic structures.
 11. The left-handed material asclaimed in claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of deformed splitring resonators is substantially in the shape of a L, with a smaller,inverted and backwards L diagonally across therefrom.
 12. Theleft-handed material as claimed in claim 9, wherein the plurality ofmetallic bars are split metallic bars or long metallic bars.
 13. Theleft-handed material as claimed in claim 9, wherein the plurality ofdeformed split ring resonators have metal or transparent electricconduction materials.